Rotary engine.



No. 650,935. 7 Patented June 5, I900. B. A. GATES.

ROTARY ENGINE,

(Application filed Aug. 81, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 650,935. Pa'tented June 5, I900.

n. A. GATES. ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Aug. 81, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ROTARY ENGINE. (Application filed Aug. 81 '1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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I LII/ll I: E [I 56::E5 31651411"? I F 15 5 F 5 f 0 F 22 1173i "3 6 6 i a I 2 E 7 1 HI I w/ WITNESSES: INVENTOR (8 I a I UNITED STATES ROYAL ADAMS GATES,

P TENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

'srEoIFIoATroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,935, dated June 5, 1900.

Application filed August 31, 1899.

tion and proportion that the surface exposed for pressure will be increased in proportion to the decreased pressure caused by the expansion of steam, compressed air, or any similar motive power and give a nearly-equal and continuous pressure on the j ournal-crank during its complete rotation; second, to make a longer crank in proportion to the diameter of the cylinder to so admit and exhaust the motive fluid that the back pressure will be avoided and the friction minimized by having the contact-surfaces where there is any pressure either roll over the place of contact or be counterbalanced by the opposite equal pressure of the motive power; third, that the motive power can be so applied that it will rotate the journal-crank either forward or backward with high or low pressure, fast or slow motion, with equal facility, and, fourth, to provide a cheap and efficient rotary engine that consists of few parts and is economical in the consumption of steam or the motive power. I attain theseobjects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I v, i

Figurel is an end eleyationshowing one, end of the cylinder, both of the extensions, and the combination of the inlet and outlet pipes used for the direct motion. Fig. 2 is a top view of both circular ends of the cylinder, half the direct and reverse motion inletpipes, and all the direct and reverse motion outlet-pipes. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing how the main crank on the journalshaft is formed by combining and attaching disks with wrist, piston, and shaft. Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation on the line 4.- 4 of Fig. 3 and illustrates the combination of the inside working machinery. Fig. 5 is a sectional end elevation on lines 5 5 and 5 5 of Fig. 3 and shows the inlet and outlet ports r the direct or reverse motion.

Serial No. 729,142. (No model.)

end of the cylinder. Fig. 6 is asectional end elevation on line 6 6 of Fig. 3 and shows the piston in a position to take steam either for Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section as it appears after removing the top casing, showing the extensions and general plan.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

WVithin a substantially-mounted and suitable cylinder having two abutment extensions A and A on opposite sides of the circular part A two disks 0 and. C of the same diameter are rigidly attached to the inside opposite ends of the divided journal-shaft BB,

which passes centrally through two oppositeduplicate but reversed cylinder-heads, Fig. 5, and suitable packing B B in boxes B and B, terminating at the inside of said disks, held firmly at each end of said cylinder by a wrist D D of the same size, continuing the journal-shaft, being centered half-way between the respective centers and circu inferences of said disks and solidly attached thereto,'forms a substantial crank which acts as a journal, around which revolves a solid sleeve or piston'E, proportioned to one-half the diameter of said cylinder, adapted to make close contact with the periphery of cylinder,

and determining the length of crank, upon which the motive power. acts to rotate the journal-shaft. Two abutments F and F, whose thickness equals the diameter of said piston, the length of which is equal to width of said abutments which fill the space and Vibrate between disks 0 and O, are so connected by parts F and F and held to the opposite sides of said piston that they form a resistingdividing-wall extending diametrically through a cylinder of any length or diameter desired and are vibrated by the pistonpressure with each rotation of the crank and disks on and with the journal-shaft inside. The main throttle-valve I is kept open for either forward or reverse motion. The branchpipe steam and air valves K, b, and d are controlled by one lever and used for the forward motion, and K, b, and d are similarly attached for the reverse. When valves K", b, and d are closedand K, b, and dare opened,

through the main inlet I, throttle 1, coupling the lever closes valves K, I), and d the steam 1', branches J and J, and subbranches LL L and L L L, which connect with inle'eports 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, cut through one end of casings K and K and stationary disk packing-ring 771, leading into space F, in cylinder A", with the piston E, (shown in Figs. 4 and 5,) steam is admitted into said cylinder only through port 1, cut-off groove 0" in disk C, whose faced edge is thick enough to suitably contain said cut-oifgroove,which alternately cuts off the steam from one port proportionately as fast as it admits it through the other, and when eccentric valves (1 a and a a, which are attached to one lever, are open the steam presses on the closely-fitting edge of disk 0 at six equal angles from its center, reducing the friction on the journalshaft, and increasing the pressure on the main crank in proportion to the increased surface exposed on piston E, and when shut it presses only on the disk from one port at a time, admits the steam at ports 1 and at and cuts it off at ports 2 and 5, greatly economizing it by allowing it to expand and occupy four times the eylinder-space F between ports 2 and 5 and 5 and 2 before it is fully exhausted.

Two ports 6 and e, cutdiagenally through abutments F and F, act as inlets and outlets for air and steam and from space F lead into spaces II and H on their opposite sides, and by the use of equalizers 7L and 71, which are attached to and vibrate with them, and the partitions i and 'i, made wide enough for packing, if required, being attached to both cylinder-casings K and K and extending the width of said abutments, the surface for pressure is equally exposed, counterbalancing and reducing the friction, and the steam or motive power is exhausted through ports G, cut through disk 0, G and G, cut through cylinder-head, Fig. 5, diametrically opposite of each other, pipes N and N, O, and main P alternately every half-revolution of the crank, thereby preventing the back pressure. At the end of the cylinder extensions A and A two air-spaces f and fare left, which act as spring-cushions to overcome the vibrating jar, the necessary pressure being regulated by the exhaust-pipesj andj and pop-valvesj andj',which lead into the main P. The dotted lines indicate pipes J" and J which exhaust the air in front of their equalizers 7L and 71- into said air-chambers, holding it there with cheek-valves 7.: and 7c. Pipes M and M exhaustthe air in front of piston E first through the subbranches L L L and L L L, new empty by the closed valves K, Z), and cl in the opposite end of cylinder. thence into pipe 0, and out main P. The motion is reversed by the combination above described, except disk C is duplicated and designated as disk 0 by being reversed and set at an angle on journalshaft, so that the admitted steam presses piston E on its opposite side and opens port 1 in the reverse end of cylinder A, opposite to port 3, in the direct-motion end, and when is cut off from the direct end, and valves K, I), and (1 being opened it passes through branches J and J, their subbranehes L L L and L L L, groove C' in disk 0, ports 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and (3, through the opposite packingring m, and is exhausted through the duplicate ports G, G, and G", pipes N and N, O, and main P, and the air in front of piston E, first through subbranches L L L and L L L, thence through branches M and M, into 0, and out main I, and the side pressure on abutments F and F is counterbalanced by steam being admitted through the duplicate but reversed ports 6 and c', spaces ll and Il, equalizers 7L and h, and partitions I: and i, and the dotted lines indicate pipes and J which exhaust the air into air-cushionsf andf, and which isheld there by cheek-valves 7t and 70.

Dead machinery can be started in motion, by opening eccentric valves a a and a, a, which will give a continuous and increasing pressure on the crank in proportion to the increased surfaee exposed on piston E,during its rotation, and it can be stopped and reversed, by shutting valves a a and Ct a andK, l), and (Z and opening valves a a and a a on the opposite end of cylinder, as above described, and when the desired motion is attained by shutting said eccentric valves the pressure will be nearly uniform on the crank with either motion during its full rotation. Pressure four times greater than the ordinary in common use could be used with the same economy of steam or compressed air by shortening the cut-off grooves C in disk G and 0", in disk 0 to one-fourth of their proportional length in the drawings. The motive fluid would then be cut off at one-twelfth of the distance the piston E has to rotate before the motive power is exhausted. Consequently it would have twelve times the space in which to expand in the same cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a rotary engine, of a suitably-mounted and inclosed cylinder A, suitably-incased abutment extensions A, and A, a journal-shaft B, B, passing centrally through opposite packing-boxes B, and B", in opposite cylinder-heads, through disks 0, and C, terminating at their inside surfaces, a wrist D, D, extending the distance between them, being centered and rigidly attached half the distance from their centers to their circumferences, around which revolves a solid piston E, adapted to make close contact with the cylinder-periphery, and being provided with abutments F, and F, of the proportion described, which are held in opposite contact to piston with connections F, and F, provided with two central slots through which the ends of said wrist vertically vibrate, a main inlet-pipe I, connected with branches J, and J, and with subbranches L, L, L, and L, L, L,

'a main throttle-valve I, branch Valves K, b, and d, eccentric valves a, a, and a, a, con necting with six inlet-ports cut through near the endof circular part of casings K, and K, and a stationary packing-ring m, at equal angles from the center of journal-shaft, opening on the faced edge of disk 0, which is provided with a suitable cut-off groove C, fitted to open and close certain of power inlet and exhaust ports for causing the piston to ro-' tate in one direction, an exhaust-port G, cut through disk 0, and exhaust-ports G, and G, oppositely out through one end of cylinderhead, connecting with branch exhaust-pipes N, and N, O, and main P, the cylinder-space F, in front of piston being connected with the main outlet, by air-outlet pipes M, and M, and the steam and air ports 6, and 6, extending diagonally through both abutments, connecting said cylinder-space with counterbalancespaces H, and H, which are connected with air-outlet pipes J, and J, provided with check-valves 7c, and 70; two air-cushions), and f, located at opposite ends of the cylinder extensions, being provided with air-outlet pipes j, andj, and with pop-'valvesj, andj,t'hat connect with the main steam-outlet, and to said abutments are rigidly attached, and extending the width of them, equalizers h, and h, the

partitions z, and 'i, being solidly attached to the cylinder-casings, and the projections 15", on the extensions of both cylinder-heads, filling the four spaces left by construction, in both sides of the abutment extensions, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination in a rotary engine for reversing the crank motion, of a main inlet-pipe I, coupled branch pipes J, and J,

with subbranches L", L, L, and L, L, L, provided with a throttle-valve K, branch valves b, and d, eccentric valves a, a, and a, and a, which connect with six inletports cut through near the opposite end of the circular part of cylinder-casings K, and K, and a stationary packing-ring m, at equal angles from the center of journal-shaft, open ing on the faced edge of disk 0, which is provided with a suitable-cut-off groove 0', fitted to open and close certain inlet and exhaust ports, and set on journal-shaft at such an angle that its inlet-port 1, is opposite to inlet-port 3, on the direct-motion end of cylinder admitting the motive-power pressure to the opposite side of piston, reversing the crank motion, and exhausting through ports G, cut through disk 0, G, and G, cut oppositely through the opposite cylinder-head, connecting with branches N, and N, O and main exhaust, the air-outlets M, and M, connecting with cylinder space F, in the reversed front of piston, and main outlet, steam and air ports 6, and 6", cut diagonally, and reversely through both abutments, and connecting said cylinder-space with counterbalance-spaces H", and H, which are connected to air-cushionsf, and f,with air-pipes J and J provided with check-valves 7s, and 7c, and to said abutments are rigidly attached, and extending the width of them, equalizers h,

and h, the partitions 'i, andi, being of the same length, and being rigidly attached to casings K, and K, substantially as herein described.

Y ROYAL ADAMS GATES.

Witnesses:

LOUIS E. SALMON, JOHN J ONEILL. 

